Machine for forming electrical heating elements



E. L. WIEGAND MACHINE FOR FORMING ELECTRICAL HEATINGELEIENTS Filed Dec;

31. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEKS.

June 9, 1931.

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MACHINE FOR FORMING ELECTRICAL HEATINQELEIENTS Filed Dec. 51, 1928 ISShGGtS-ShGGR 5 lil;/////Z Ill! 2 24 50 fivvawzze fal/w/v Z. MEGA/V0 Arme/vEys Patented June 9, 1931 orice A PAra EDWIN L. WIEGAND, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA MACHINE FOR FORMING ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENTS Application. filed December 31, 1928. Serial No. 329,631.

This invention relates to an improved machine or apparatus for the manufacture of electrical heating units which embody a metal sheath or casing having a mass of refractory insulating material therein with the resistor embedded in the refractory insulating material.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient machine for the quick,

accurate and uniform production of such heating units.

In practice it may be advisable to arrange two or more of these machines in close proximity to each other so that some of the op- 1 erations may be performed on one machine and then transferred for completion to the other machine, but the machines in all essential particulars will be the same.

The invention consists in the novel detail features of construction and in the manner of combining or arranging the same all of which will be fully described hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification Fig. l is a side elevation of one embodiment of my invention and Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the central pivot for the turret or turntable; Fig 3 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. lis a sectional plan view on the line l l of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. l; Fig- 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; F ig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the form taken on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

1n carrying out my invention I employ a suitable base 10 to which is secured the upright standard 11 having a laterally projecting block 12 secured thereto, said block being adjustable vertically and maintained in its desired adjusted position by means of a. screw 13 interposed between the lower end of the block 12 and a fixed lug 1% carried by the standard 11. This block 12 has a supporting bracket 15 connected thereto, said bracket being angled as shown and projecting forwardly. This bracket 15 carries a vertically extending pivot post 16 upon which rotates the turret or turntable 17 comturntable as having radial arms, it will be obvious that a disklike form of turret can be employed.

The post 16 is preferably tubular in form and has its lower end externally threaded and screwed into a threaded collar 15 bolted to the upper side of the bracket 15. The hub 17 of the turret or turntable which turns upon the post 16 is preferably provided with a hardened ring facing 17" at its lower end which con acts with the collar 15 as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. The tubular post 16 has the walls thereof at its upper end reduced in thickness, and fitting upon said upper end, which projects slightly above the hub of the turret or turntable, is a circular guard plate 19 secured by a set screw 19?, which guard plate is of such size as to extend outwardly from the center to the resistor supports, as most clearly shown and serves as a work table.

The resistor supports preferably comprise a. series of pins 20 carried by a block 21 and projecting upwardly from a support 22 which is preferably of a shape or contour at its top corresponding to the shape of the heating element to be formed, that is, circular, triangular, square, ring shaped, U-shaped or an elongated rectangle. This support 22 is bored vertically as indicated at 22 -to permit the passage of the pins 20. This support is also provided with a recess in its under side as shown at 22 to receive the block 21 when said block is raised, as it normally is by coil springs 23 seated in sockets 24? produced in the base piece 24 to which the support 22 is bolted, the base in turn being bolted to the outer end of the turret arm, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5.

A pull rod 25 passes through the turret arm and base piece and'is connected to the block 21 carrying the positioning pins 20, said pull rod having a head 25 at its lower end by means of which it is pulled down in a manner hereinafter explained, to withdraw the positioning pins. The support 22 has stationary pins 26 projecting upwardly therefrom to hold a retaining frame, wall, or border 27, the interior shape of this frame, wall, or border corresponding to the contour of the upper end of the support 22 and has its lower inner edge spaced slightly from the upper edge of the support, the space being just sufiicientto permit the introduction of the sides of an inverted sheet metal sheathor casing 28. Each radial arm of the turret or turntable has a recess produced in its extreme outer end and inwhich is placed an insert 30 having a centrally disposed hemispherical recess or socket which is engaged by a correspondingly shaped projection 31 arranged upon av bar 32 which is normally projected forwardly by means of a coil spring 132 for the purpose of holding the projection in engagement with the socket and thereby lock the turret or turntable against rotary movement, this bar 32 being connected to the standard 11 and extending horizontally, as

1 shown. Adjacent to its outer end a rod 33 is connected to this bar for the purpose of actuating the same, said rod passing through guides 33 connected to the bracket 15 and is provided with an operating handle 33 at its outer end.

It will be understood that when the spring pressed bar with the projection is in engagement with the notched or socketed end 7 of the turret or turntable, said turret or turntable will be held positioned sothat work uponthe supports can be carried on. In this particular embodiment there are four operations and consequently there are four arms to the turret or turntable, each operation taking place at the proper time and station. In order to release the turret or turntable so that it may be moved to carry on the successive operations, either the rod 33 can be pushed rearward-1y or the spring-pressed bar can be pushed rearwardly' thereby withdrawing the projection. from the recess and both the rod 33 and the spring bar 32 are employed for this purpose in order that operators at different points may effect the release. It will be understood that at the first station the resistor is positioned upon the supporting pins. and after this operation has been accomplished the turntable or turret is moved around one-quarter of a revolution bringing the resistor to the second station and after the retaining frame wall or form is positioned upon the pins, a quantity of refractory insulating material is made to envelope the resistor and then the thin sheet metal sheath or casing in inverted form is placed over the mass of refractory material and within the wall or frame, The turret or turntable is then moved around through another quarter of a revolution for the purpose of bringing the form of the third station where, to a degree, the compressing or compac'ting action takes place and this is accomplished by means of a plunger 34 having an adjustable head 34 arranged in its lower end and this plunger also has a vertical slot 34 produced therein. This plunger 34 works in suitable guides 35 carried at the upper end of the standard 11, the standard being curved forwardly, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1, in order to bring these guides into proper position. A take-up plate 35 with adjusting screws 35 are arranged at one side in order to properly position and guide the plunger which is formed with a dovetail on its rear side, as most clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

A harp orframe 36 is secured to the upper end of the standard and has a coil spring 37 adjustably connected to the upper end thereof, the lower end of said spring being connected through the medium of an eye to the upper end of the plunger 34. The plunger is actuated by means of a lever 38 pivoted in the standard and having a link 39 connected to its rear end, the forward end of the lever working in the slot 34 in the plunger. The lower end of the link 39 is pivotally connected to the upper end of an elbow lever 40 also pivoted in the upright standard and the rear end of this elbow lever is pivotally connected to a thrust rod 41 having its lower end connected to a lever 42 pivotally mounted in a bracket 42 attached to the side of the standard at the lower end thereof. 43 indicates an anvil. block which is bolted to the rear end of the bracket 15 directly beneath the plunger and is formed with a curved slot 43 to accommodate the head 25 of the pull rod when the end ofthe arm 18 is brought to the third station, which is directly beneath theplunger, the anvil block serving to maintain the support in the proper position'during the compressing or compacting operation. After the compressing or compacting operation has been accomplished, the turntable or turret is moved around to the fourth station and at this point it is de sirable to remove the compacted mass of refractory material and the resistor embedded therein from the form, and in orderto accomplish this in this instance, I provide means for pulling down upon the pull rod so that the block 21 can be drawn down into the recess in the base piece and moving the supporting pins below the surface of the support 22 so that the resistor will be re leased and the unit thus far completed lifted from the form.

This mechanism embodies an arm 44 secured to the underside of the bracket and laterally therefrom and-having its outer end bored vertically through which works a pull rod 45 having a slotted head 46 at its upper end-which receives the headed end 25 of the rod 25. A coil spring 47 is interposed between the upper end of the arm and the head for the purpose of normally maintaining this head in its proper raised position and a stop collar 47 may be arranged upon the lower portion and held in proper position by means of lock nuts 47". The lower end of this rod 45 is con nected by means of a hinged joint to the upper end of a rod 48 having a turnbuckle between its sections, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3,

' the lower end of this rod being pivotally conneoted to a treadle 49 the inner end of which is pivotally connected to the base 10, as most clearly shown. I

l/Vhen the turret or turntable is moved so as to bring the support to the fourth stage, the head 25 of the rod 25 is moved into engagement with the slotted head 46 and then by pressing down upon the treadle the rod 25 is pulled downwardly withdrawing the positioning pins 20 so that the sheath or casing with the compacted mass of refractory material and the resistor embedded therein can be lifted from the form.

In the operation of the machine it will be understood that the complete cycle involves four operations at the four different stations. At the first station the resistor with its terminal device is positioned upon the positioning pins according to the shape or nature of the heating unit to be formed. The positioning operation being completed, the handle actuating the spring-pressed bar is pushed rearwardly so as to unlock the turret and the form or support is swung around through one quarter of a revolution. The machine is relocked and the support having reached the second station, the retaining frame or wall is placed upon the supporting pins and refractory material is then placed upon the support and within the wall or border so as to envelop the resistor positioned upon the pins 20. The mass is leveled off and then the sheath or casing is placed over the mass, as most clearly shown in Fig. 6. The turret is once more unlocked and another quarter revolution is had, bringing the support with the resistor, refractory mass and casing between the anvil block and the plunger. The foot treadle 42 is then depressed forcing the plunger vertically downwardly and compressing the mass within the metal sheath or casing. \Vhen pressure is relieved from the foot treadle 42 the spring or will pull the plunger upwardly. The machine is then unlocked again and swung around to the fourth station where the foot treadle is depressed drawing down the positioning pins and permitting the sheath or casin with the compacted mass therein and resistor to be lifted from the support and transferred to the support of an adjacent machine where additional refractory material may be introduced and further compressing and shaping operations accomplished.

It will thus be seen that I provide a simple and efiicient machine whereby the heating units can be quickly and uniformly fab ricated in a quick and easy manner, this form of machine being expressly adapted to large numbers of a given size or type of unit, by subdividing the operations betweenseveral operators working simultaneously on the various operations at the difierent stations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine of the kind described, a carrying member having means for positioning a resistor and receiving a mass of refractory material, in combination with means for compressing said mass about said resistor, and means for separating the compacted mass and the resistor positioning means.

2. In a machine of the kind described, a carrying member having .a plurality of means for positioning a resistor upon a form and for receiving a mass of refractory material in combination with means for 'compressing said mass about said resistor, said means being movable in sequence into cooperative relation with said compressing means.

3. In a machine of the kinddescribed, the combination with a compressing member, of a rotating member carrying a plurality of supports adapted to be successively moved under said compressing member, each support having means for positioning a resistor thereon.

4. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a reciprocating compressing member, of a movable member carrying a support adapted to be moved under said compressing member, said support having means for positioning a resistor thereon, and having means for retaining upon said support, about said resistor, a mass of refractory insulating material.

5. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a reciprocating compressing member, of a movable member carrying a support adapted to be moved under said compressing member, said support having means for positioning a resistor thereon at one station of its cycle of movement, means for maintaining upon said support a mass of refractory insulating material about said resistor, said mass being compressed about said resistor at another station of said cycle by said reciprocating compressing member, and means for separating the resistor positioning means and the compressed mass at another station of said cycle.

6. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a reciprocating compressing member, of a movable member carrying a support adapted to be moved under said compressing member, and means for positioning the movable member in alignment with the compressing member, said support having means for positioning a resistor thereon at one station of its cycle of movement, means for maintaining upon said support a mass of refractory insulating material about said resistor, said mass being compressed about said resistor at another station of said cycle by said reciprocating compressing member, and means for separating the resistor positioning means and the compressed mass at another station of said cycle.

7. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a reciprocatingcompressing member, of a movable member carrying a. plurality of supports adapted to be intermittently moved under said compressing member, means for aligning said sup port in cooperative relation with said com pressing member, means carried by each support for positioning a resistor thereon, to-

gether with means for maintaining a mass of refractory material about said resistor.

8. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a reciprocating plunger, of a movable member, a support mounted upon said movable member and adapted to be brought into alignment with said plunger, said support having means for positioning a resistor thereon, means attachable to and detachable from said support for maintaining a mass of refractory material about said resistor, and means for effectinga separation of the resistor positioning means and the mass of refractory material.

9. In a machine of the kind described, the combination witha reciprocating plunger, of a rotating turret having a plurality of supports provided with means for positioning a resistor thereon, each support being adapted to be brought successively into alignment with said plunger, means for holding said support in alignment, and means for permitting removal of said resistor positioning means.

10. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a reciprocating plunger, of a rotating turret having a plurality of radial arms each arm having a support provided with means for positioning a resistor thereon, each support beingadapted to be brought successively into alignment with said plunger, means attachable to saidsupport for maintaining a mass of refractory material about said resistor, means for holding said support in alignment, and means for separating said resistor positioning means from themass of refractory material.

11. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a suitably supported bracket, of a turret rotatably mounted upon said bracket, a support provided with means for positioning a resistor and receiving a mass of refractory material about said resistor, anda plungerfor compressing said mass about said resistor, said support being movable into cooperative relation with said plunger, as set forth.

12. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a suitably supported bracket, of a turret rotatably mounted upon said bracket, said turret having a. plurality of radial arms each arm carrying a support provided with means for positioning a resistorand receiving a mass of refractory material about said resistor, and a plunger for compressing said mass about said resistor, said arms being movable into cooperative relation with said plunger, as set forth,'to gether with means for withdrawingthe positioning means. 7

13. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a standard, of a block carried thereby, a bracket attached to said block, a turret rotatably mounted upon said bracket and having a plurality of radial arms each arm carrying means for positioning a resistor and means for shaping a mass of refractory material, and a plunger adapted to compress said mass about said resistor, said arms being movable into alignment with said plunger, as set forth.

14;. In a device of the kind described, a support-having a plurality of movable pins projecting therefrom together with means for withdrawing said pins when desired.

15. In a device of the kind described, a support having a plurality of positioning pins projecting therefrom together with means for withdrawing said pins when desired and a retaining wall or frame detachably arranged upon said support and having its edge contiguous to the edge of the sup-- port.

16. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a support, of a plurality of positioning pins projecting therefrom, spring actuated means for normally holding said pins in position, and means for withdrawing said pins.

17. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a support, of a plurality of positioning pins projecting there-from, spring actuated means for normally holding said pins in position, means for withdrawing said pins, and a retaining wall or frame detachably mounted upon the support and having its edge contiguous to the edge of the support. V

18. In a device of the kind described, a turret having a plurality of arms, each arm having a support at its outer end, said support being arranged upon a. base member carried by the arm, a block interposed between the base member and support, positioning pins attached to said block and projecting through the support and means for moving said block and pins when desired to release the resistor.

19. In a device of the kind described, a turret having a plurality of arms and each arm carrying a support at its outer end, a base member interposed between the outer end of the arm and the support, a spring actuated block arranged between the base member and the support, outwardly projecting positioning pins carried by the block and extending through the support, means for moving said block and pins, supporting means carried by the support and a detachable retaining wall or frame adapted to rest upon said supporting means and surround the edge of the support.

20. In a device of the kind described, a turret having a plurality of arms and each arm carrying a support at its outer end, a base member interposed between the outer end of the arm and the support, a spring actuated block arranged between the base member and the support, upwardly projecting positioning pins and carried by the block and extending upwardly throu h the support, means for drawing said blockand pins downwardly, supporting pins carried by the support and a detachable retaining wall or frame adapted to rest upon said supporting pins and surround the upper end of the support.

21. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support having a plurality of pins projecting therefrom for positioning a resistor, a retaining wall or frame detachably mounted on said support and having its edge contiguous to the edge of the support and adapted for shaping a mass of refractory material, means for compacting a mass of refractory material within said frame and about a resistor arranged therein, and means for efiecting a separation of the compacted mass of material and the resistor positioning pins.

22. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a reciprocating compressing member, of a movable member carrying a support adapted to be moved under said compressing member, means for positioning said movable member in alignment with said compressing member, said support having meansthereon for positioning a resistor thereon, means maintaining on said support a mass of refractory insulating material about said resistor whereby said mass of refractory material may be compressed about said resistor by said reciprocating compressing member and means for effecting a separation of said resistor positioning means and the compacted mass.

23. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support having a plurality of pins projecting therefrom for positioning a resistor, a retaining Wall or frame positioned on said support and adapted for shaping a mass of refractory material, means for compacting the mass of refractory ma terial within said frame and about a resistor wound on said pins and means for signature.

EDIVIN L. WIEGAND. 

